Processed products of tea and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

Shown are a particulate processed product of tea and a method for preparing the same. The particulate processed product of tea has a sphericity S10 value of a particle corresponding to 10% cumulative subdistribution in cumulative distribution measured for the sphericity of tea particles of 0.68 or greater. The processed product of tea is convenient to drink because it is readily wetted and dispersed in water. In addition, it can be easily packaged and used due to a low angle of repose and thus excellent flowability.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A particulate processed product of tea, comprising tea particles,
 wherein the tea particles exhibit a sphericity S 10  value of 0.68 or greater, 
 wherein the sphericity S 10  value is a sphericity of a particle corresponding to 10% cumulative subdistribution in cumulative distribution measured for the sphericity of tea particles, and 
 wherein the particulate processed product of tea comprises 20 mass % or less of fine powders based on the total mass of the tea particles and the fine powders have a particle diameter of 75 μm or smaller. 
 
     
     
       2. The particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 1 , wherein the sphericity S 10  value is 0.70 or greater. 
     
     
       3. The particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 2 , wherein the sphericity S 10  value is 0.72-0.84. 
     
     
       4. The particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 1 , wherein a difference in a sphericity S 90  value of a particle corresponding to 90% cumulative subdistribution and the sphericity S 10  value of a particle corresponding to 10% cumulative subdistribution (S 90 −S 10 ) in cumulative distribution measured for the sphericity of tea particles is less than 0.20. 
     
     
       5. The particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 4 , wherein the S 90 −S 10  is less than 0.15. 
     
     
       6. The particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 1 , wherein the processed product of tea has an average particle diameter of the total tea particles of 100-300 μm. 
     
     
       7. The particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 1 , wherein the particulate processed product of tea comprises 15 mass % or less of fine powders based on the total mass of the tea particles. 
     
     
       8. The particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 1 , wherein the tea particles have one or more of following particle size distribution values of:
 i) a particle size distribution D 10  value of 50 μm≤D 10 ≤200 μm; 
 ii) a particle size distribution D 50  value of 100 μm≤D 50 ≤250 μm; and 
 iii) a particle size distribution D 90  value of 200 μm≤D 90 ≤600 μm, 
 wherein, in i) to iii), D 10 , D 50  and D 90  respectively refer to a particle diameter corresponding to 10% cumulative subdistribution, a median particle diameter and a particle diameter corresponding to 90% cumulative subdistribution in cumulative distribution measured for the particle diameter of tea particles. 
 
     
     
       9. The particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 8 , wherein the particle size distribution D 10  value ranges 80 μm≤D 10 ≤170 μm, the particle size distribution D 50  value ranges 150 μm≤D 50 ≤250 μm, and the particle size distribution D 90  value ranges 280 μm≤D 90 ≤600 μm. 
     
     
       10. The particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 1 , wherein the processed product of tea has an angle of repose of 35° or smaller. 
     
     
       11. The particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 1 , wherein the processed product of tea has a wetting time of 100 seconds or shorter when contacted with water, wherein the wetting time is the time required for the whole processed product of tea to sink below water surface when 1.5 g of the processed product of tea is placed on the water surface, and the amount of the water is 500 mL. 
     
     
       12. The particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 1 , wherein the tea is tea leaf. 
     
     
       13. The particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 1 , wherein the tea is one or more selected from a group consisting of unfermented tea, semi-fermented tea, fermented tea and post-fermented tea. 
     
     
       14. The particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 13 , wherein the tea is green tea. 
     
     
       15. The particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 1 , wherein the processed product of tea is a fine granule or a powder. 
     
     
       16. A method for preparing a particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 1 , comprising preparing tea particles from tea powder. 
     
     
       17. The method for preparing a particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 16 , wherein the preparing tea particles comprises using a rotor-type fluidized-bed granulator comprising a rotor disc to prepare the tea particles. 
     
     
       18. The method for preparing a particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 17 , wherein the rotor-type fluidized-bed granulator comprises: a container; a rotor disc formed inside the container; a gap-forming part provided between the rotor disc and a wall of the container and supplying air; and a nozzle-forming part formed adjacent to the gap-forming part and spraying water into the container. 
     
     
       19. The method for preparing a particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 16 , wherein the preparing tea particles comprises: placing tea powder on a rotor disc and rotating the rotor disc; levitating the tea powder by supplying air; and spraying water to the levitated tea powder. 
     
     
       20. The method for preparing a particulate processed product of tea according to  claim 16 , wherein the tea powder constituting 99 mass % or more of the total mass of the tea powder has a particle diameter of 75 μm or smaller.